"Journey to the Beautiful Life" by Rev Wu Yuzhuang

The following article with adaptation is based on what Pastor Wu Yuzhuang of City Harvest Church had preached during the 3 p.m. service on 2 September 2017.

"One day at three o’clock in the afternoon, Peter and John were on their way into the Temple for prayer meeting. At the same time there was a man crippled from birth being carried up. Every day he was set down at the Temple gate, the one named Beautiful, to beg from those going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked for a handout. Peter, with John at his side, looked him straight in the eye and said, “Look here.” He looked up, expecting to get something from them.

Peter said, “I don’t have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked. 

The man went into the Temple with them, walking back and forth, dancing and praising God. Everybody there saw him walking around and praising God. They recognized him as the one who sat begging at the Temple’s Gate Beautiful and rubbed their eyes, astonished, scarcely believing what they were seeing." -- Acts 3: 1-10 (MSG)

The gate where the man crippled from birth sat begging for alms was named Beautiful. Yet, the man's life was anything but beautiful; he had to beg for a subsistence life.

After all these years he could have resigned himself to the fact that the beautiful life was for all the people going into the Temple; it was not for him -- can see only but not touch. Perhaps he didn't even venture into the Temple because he was disheartened by his physical constraint. He didn't feel blessed or thankful and might well be wallowing in self-pity day in and day out.

Today was just another humdrum day, he thought. As usual, he was begging. But, he asked right today! He asked for alms from Peter, the apostle of faith, who was accompanied by John, the apostle of love, while they were coming for prayer meeting. Faith + Love + Prayer = Power of God.

He asked for a handout. But, Peter gave him something exceedingly far better than money. Peter invoked the name of Jesus Christ and unleashed the healing power of God to heal the lame man. 

Sensing the strength in his legs, the man "jumped to his feet and walked" and went into the temple with them "walking, leaping and praising God" Acts 3: 8b (NKJV). Indeed, like what has been recorded in Isaiah 35:6a (NKJV) on the future glory of Zion (the church of Jesus Christ), "Then the lame shall leap like a deer".

In life sometimes we do need people to help or carry us when we have a physical impediment, face setbacks or meet with adversities. But, people can only carry us so far to the brink of our breakthrough, destiny or miracle.

The lame man had people who were faithful to carry him to the Beautiful gate. The key to the blessing of God is showing up. Back-sliders might reach a stage where they analyse or question why they need to go to church. Is it because of praise and worship, giving of tithe and offering, prayer, hearing the Word of God, partaking the bread and wine during Holy Communion and/or receiving the benediction given by the pastor at the end of the service?

By focussing on the doings, we miss out on the essence of Who -- why we do what we do or who are we honouring and acknowledging by doing what we do. King David, a man after God's own heart, declared in Psalm 122:1 (NKJV), "I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

Also, our approach to God must be reverential and honouring, as preached by Rev Bobby Chaw recently when he reminded us on what the LORD has said in Leviticus 10:3 (NKJV), "By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified."

When Jesus was in the wilderness, the devil put Him through three tests with the evil intent of rattling His identity:

1. Performance-based Identity (I am what I do)

'If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.'

2. Popularity-based Identity (I am how many followers I have)

'If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: "He shall give His angels charge concerning you."'

3. Possession-based Identity (I am what I have)

'All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.'

Back to our condition in life. Don't stay down and wallow in self-pity. You don't need to succumb to an identity crisis because of wrong thinking which leads to negative emotions and warped (carnal) mindset which is out of alignment with God's Word concerning you. You don't have to seek validation from other people in order to feel good about yourself. If God be for you, who can be against you?

Being carried and lifted up is an experience. But, God wants to give you more. He wants to take you on a journey to the beautiful life. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 (NKJV) 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Cor. 5:17 (NKJV) 

Jumping up and walking is the journey. The crippled man moved from dependence to independence! Man, he was ready for his breakthrough and he seized it without hesitation when God touched him. Get ready for your breakthrough/destiny/miracle today!

Click here to watch a snippet of the sermon.

For your further encouragement, click here to watch and listen to CityWorship: Miracle // Teo Poh Heng @ City Harvest Church.

Faith has a voice

Recently, the Holy Spirit spurred me to have a made-up mind to believe the Word of God before I even start to pray. What's the point of praying when there is unbelief? As a matter of fact, when we demonstrate unbelief it is akin to calling God a liar. Yes, it's that bad.

It's time for us to humble ourselves before God and take Him at His Word; God is not a man that He should lie. And, it's time for us to restore the fear of the LORD even in the House of the LORD. Let God be God, and mortals be mortals -- saved only by the Grace of God.

When God has said it and it is settled in my heart that His truth will prevail, I can pray believing that God hear and answer prayers if I pray according to His will and do not ask amiss of what's His best for me.

As I pray believing, I am reminded further by the Holy Spirit to pray audibly for my own hearing. While there is a time and place for contemplative praying, I find that praying aloud even during my own Quiet Time yield tremendous effect in the invisible or spirit realm. Our Words are powerful according to the Scripture!

When we speak the Word of God appropriately in our specific prayers, by having regard to the full counsel of God's Word, it is just as God is speaking His Words for accomplishment. For example, instead of just praying for me, myself and I, I could try praying along the line of being blessed in my career so that I could be a blessing to my family, employer, relatives, community and the Kingdom of God.

We can learn much from Solomon's prayer at Gibeon. As outlined by Pastor Jim Cymbala in his book "Breakthrough Prayers":

1. Solomon approached God first with thanks and praise (1 Kings 3:7a);

2. Solomon prayed with great humility (1 Kings 3:7b);

3. Solomon defined himself as God's servant, ready to do His will; and

4. Solomon asked for a blessing that would bless God's people.

Mind you, King Solomon did not just think his prayer but said it out. When Hannah was praying for her breakthrough to conceive a child even though her voice was not heard, her lips moved! (1 Samuel 1:13) Also, hadn't Jesus said to speak to our mountains rather than think away our problems?

As we bless others or cast all our cares upon Jesus through prayers, let's demonstrate faith by moving our lips or making our prayers audible to ourselves, i.e., the ears of our inner man. 

Faith a voice. Let God hear our voice!

  

Breakthrough!

On 2 November 2013, I received this revelation that God has a good plan and great destiny for the believers even though it may not have panned yet out according to His plan. He has already seen the end from the very beginning as He is the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end.

After all, is there anything too hard for our Creator? God can do anything. (Okay, God can’t sin, to wit.) And, God remembers and cares for us. While the children of Israel were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar from Jerusalem to Babylon, God sent His word to them through the prophet Jeremiah. Amongst other things, He said, “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. (Jeremiah 29:11; MSG)”

Also, didn’t Jesus say: “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. (John 10:10b; MSG)”? What is eternal life? “And this is the real and eternal life: That they know You, the one and only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You sent. (John 17:3; MSG)” Did we get that? We have access to the most High God! An audience with Him in His throne room, if you will. And, we thought minion thoughts that meeting with Bill Gates or having lunch with Warren Buffet was such a big deal. Hey, let’s get our perspective and relativity of awesomeness in order.

Coming down to earth, we may be living far below what God has planned for us but that does not negate His plans. The greatest waste or loss is the gap between who we are and the person we were meant to be, in Christ Jesus. No wonder it is also commonly said that one of the richest places on earth is the cemetery where so much dreams and aspirations lay buried and wasted. One idea or product and one prepared person whose time has come can change the world.

Yes, who knows (God knows!), you may well change your world or even change the world if you would prepare and pursue all that the Holy Spirit is revealing to you. Think about it, mull over it. Do we really know our God? Don’t we know our God? If we would recall, “God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good? Numbers 23:19; MSG)”

The ball is in our court, so to speak. We can bridge the dichotomy between who we are now and all that God intends for us. It’s all up to us to respond and take this journey of faith. It’s amazing that we can trust God for our salvation by His grace or favour through faith in Jesus Christ and not apply the same faith in God’s grace for every other areas of our life.

I am repentant of this and have only just begun to see that while Ephesians 2:8 speaks of God’s grace for salvation, His grace is not confined or restricted to salvation from the consequences of our sins and our sin nature. There is so much more, in Christ!

How do we advance and step into our Promised Land -- our dream position, home, family relationships, friendships, ministry, et cetera? Faith is sacrosanct in this regards. Faith in God through our relationship with Him and in His Word. It has to be developed and proven (put to the test) over time through our a close walk with the Holy Spirit who will teach us the Word of God, reveal the truth and wisdom therein, and instructs us in our walk of faith.

^“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10; NKJV).

Also, “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success” (Joshua 1:8; MSG).

Next, we need to guard our heart and let praise and thanksgiving spring forth. What we say will reveal the treasure of our heart -- the Word of God, no less! We will get the biggest bang for storing His Word in our heart and internalizing it so much so that we know the thoughts and ways of God. For example, that He is a good God and He has loved us with an everlasting love.

King David knew so well of how to find salvation or deliverance when he wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that: “He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God. Psalms 50:23; AMP)”

Our breakthrough is at hand. Keep believing. Do not grow weary. Keep sowing. God is all for us and we can truly live out, through obedient faith, all of what He has planned for us.